Eliminating cervical cancer is a movement, not just a programme: Indonesia’s health minister

Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin wants to get the message out to tens of millions of women to volunteer for tests and vaccinations. - ST

WASHINGTON: The key to the success of Indonesia’s bold plan to eliminate cervical cancer is that it should be treated not as a programme, but as a movement, says its Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin.

Indonesia’s strategy to bring down its cervical cancer rate – which is higher than the global average – is early detection and vaccination on a massive scale. This has to be enabled by unlocking the country’s social capital and getting help from the private sector, in addition to mobilising government primary health services, to reach a far-flung population.